About
Nuanzhi Zheng 郑暖之 is an interdisciplinary artist specialising in writing, moving image, and illustration. This occupies space in theatre and contemporary art, actualising in discussions of feminism, existentialism, race, class and queer theory. They live in Tāmaki Makaurau and is a Shanghai gal in their bones.
Nuanzhi participated in the premiere production of the live theatre documentary OTHER [chinese] in 2017. Their collaboration with Sherry Zhang, Yang/Young/杨, premiered as part of Auckland Theatre Company’s Here and Now Festival in 2021, and was published in Traces, an anthology of four Asian plays in Aotearoa (Playmarket, 2025). Their other plays include Chick Habit (2023) and Evening! with Jimmy Applause (2021). Nuanzhi was part of Auckland Theatre Company’s Emerging Writers Table in 2024 and has participated in various iterations of The Rawdog Gaysian Playwright Challenge. In 2025, they collaborated with Evangelina Telfar, writing Best Laid Plans for the one-act anthology play Compromise. Nuanzhi undertook a residency with Robert Lord Writers Cottage Trust in 2026 to develop a multimedia theatre piece, Best Head Girl (working title).
In their practice outside theatre, Nuanzhi exhibited video installation work Like an addiction I wept for the place I could not access with Gus Fisher Gallery in 2020 and exhibited as part of the Estuary Art Award in 2021. Their collaboration with FANG magazine won Judge’s Wildcard for Best Overall Zine at Auckland Zinefest 2026. Their other work has been published by The Pantograph Punch, Going Down Swinging, bad apple, Rat World and Eel Mag.
Nuanzhi on the web:
Substack
Auckland Zinefest 2026
Interview with OAR: Write Spot
Interview on local loser (podcast)
Guest Editorial for Cringe
Writing on badapple.gay
Like an addiction I wept for the place I could not access, Gus Fisher Gallery, 2020
Theatre:
Chick Habit - Interview
Yang/Young/杨 - Review
Yang/Young/杨 - Press
Get in touch:
Photo: Megan Goldsman